Ingot-casting machine.



L. E. HOWARD.

INGOT CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 190B.

Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

L. E. AR

INGOT GAS HI APPLIOATION FILED Y2, 9

926,489. Patented June 29, 1909. B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@f n T Q I m l I I UNITED STA ES PATENT oEEIoE.

LES LIE E. HOWARD, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMONDS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF FITOHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

INGOT- CASTING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEsLIE EJHQWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Grange, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new andtusel'ul Improvements in Ingot-Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ingot-casting machines, and more particularly to machines of that type wherein lateral pressure is a plied to the ingot during the cooling of t e atter for the purpose of preventing the formation of blow-holes and cavities in the ingots, due to the separating out of gases from the steel comprising the ingot during the cooling of the same, and the formation of the defect known as piping, resulting from the shrinkage of, the metal after the outer sides and bottom of the ingot have set and hardened, and while the center is still molten, which condition allows the molten metal from the upper ortion of the ingot to feed down and partial y replace that drawn toward the sides of the lower portion of the ingot, owing to shrinkage in cooling.

in an application filed b me on the 9th day of March, 1908, Seria No. 419,948, I have disclosed an ingot-casting machine having some features in common with the machine of the present invention, including the provision of means for applying a graduall increasing pressure to the ingot during t e cooling of the latter, and means for facilitating the discharge of the ingot after molding through the provision of a removable bottom and retractable sides. In the machine of my present invention 1 employ a specifically different construction of mold and a different mechanism for yieldably suplpgorting and retracting the movable side we thereof.

The leading feature of the present invention, so far as it relates to the structure of the mold itself, consists in the employment of a pair of mold-members one of which is fixed and the other of which is movable, both vertically and laterally, each of'said memhers afi'ording two adjacent lateral walls of a rectangular mold. One wall of the movable member is'subjected to the action of the 1 hydraulic-or other motive agent through c which thesqueezing or compression of t ingot is effected, while the other wall of the .movable member is likewisesubjected' to a lateral thrust sufilcient to insure a tight closing of the joints between the fixed and movable members of the mold before and during the pouring in and compression of the metal; the retraction of such thrust-applying means permitting also the retraction of this wall sufiiciently to release the molded ingot at the proper time and permit it to drop through the bottom of the mold when the closure for the latter has been opened.

My invention, in a ractical form in which the same may be em odied, is illustrated the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my im roved machine; and Fig. 2 is a substantial y central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the apparatus, showing also means for applying a graduatedpressure to the ingot-compressing cylinders of the a paratusf Referring to the drawings, 5 esignates each of a pair of parallel side-frame members, 6 an end-frame member, and 7 each of a pair of cylinder castings disposed one above the other and constituting in part the other endframe member of a rectangular main frame of the apparatus, the side members 5 being securely united to the end members 6 and 7 by through-bolts 8. The required tensional strength is secured in the frame by the use of overlapping lateral projections 5 on the side-frame members 5, and 6 and 7 a on the end-frame members 6 and 7, respectively. In the castings 7 are formed the cylinder chambers 9, herein shown as two in number, superimposed with their longitudinal axes horizontal and arallel to each other, and slid'ably fitted with rams or plungers 10 and provided with pipe connections 11 by which they are connected to a source of fluid pres sure'(not shown) through a pipe 12 controlled by a regulating valve 13, through which the pressure admitted to the cylinders ardly projecting horizontal flange 14 at its top (Fig. 2) overlying and resting upon the frame-member 6 the opposite edges oi this flange being soclreted to receive themner ends of a parrot slotted clamps ad ustably secured by-bolts 1b to the top of the machine "members of the molds w rich are the active agents in transmitting the pressure applied to the ingots. 'gral rectangular extensions 17 located at their outer edges, which extensions overlap the opposite vertical edges of the stationary mold-block 1 4, as plainly shown in the plan view, Fig. 1, and constitute the outer side walls of the mold. lit will also be observed that the inte ral extension 14 of the sta= tionary mold-block 14 similarly overlaps at its inner end the inner adjacent ed es of the movable mold-b1oclrs'17. From t is it will be seen that the tour-sided mold is made up of two vertical mold-blocks or plates each of which provides two adjacent and into ral sides of the mold; the mold-box having ut twovertical'lap joints located in diagonally op osed relation to each other.

i eferring now to the means for sup orting and actuating the movable mold-mam are 17 and their rectangular extensions 17, 18 designates as an entirety a solid block-located approximately centrally of and within the main rectangular frame of the machine and constitutin a cross-head between the plungers 10 and the com ressing sides 17 of the molds. This crosssad is slidably supported on the main frame b lateral flanges 18 that overlie the upper e gee of the si e- V frame members 5, and it is guided by vertical ribs 18 formed on its opposite vertical edges these ribs engaging the inner side walls of the side-frame members 5, and constituting in part the means for effecting the retrac- *tion of the cross-head, as hereinafter described. The rear face of the cross-head 18 is directly engaged by. the forward faces oi the rams or plun era 10 as best shown in Fig. 2, while its torward face similarly directly engages the mold-members 17, which latter are supported with capacit for lim ited movement both vertically an edgewise from the cross-head by means of upper and lower arms 19 and 20, respectively, pivoted at 21 and 22, respectively, to the upper and lower faces of the cross=head and projectinr over the front lace of the latter and provide with inwardly disposed vertical dowels 19 and 20 which enter and loosely fit vertical holes or sockets in the upper and lower ends of themold=members l7. The pivotal character oi the supporting arms 19 and 20, and

-thelocse fit of the dowels in the cooperating sockets oi? the mold-members affords a slisht capacity tor both vertical and lateral shifting of the moldmembers l7 and, oi course, -oi

These members 17 have inteassess.

Referring now to the means for applying pressure to the outer lateral mold-members 17, with which are included means or offecting the retraction of the com ressing mold-members 17 through the crossand 18 after the compression 0 the ingot has been completed, 23 designates up or and lower pairs of rectangular bars slu ably fitted in grooves in the inside surfaces of the siderame members 5' and attached to the ends of these bars at the forward or mold end of the machine are shoes 24 preferably of steel and possessing a slight degree of transverse elasticity, which shoes engage and ride over transverse wedge-shaped ribs 25 formed on the outer sides of the mold-members 17. These bars, with their attached slides, are given a longitudinal movement by the action of fluid pressure on a differential piston 26 (Fig. 2) in a cylinder 27, attached to the outer rear end 0 the cylinder castings 7, acting through connections consisting of a iston rod 28, pin 29, cross-bar 30, ins 31 (l ig 2), vertical equalizing bars 32, and ins 33 connecting the ends of the latter with the bars 23. I

The bottoms of the twin mold chambers are closed by a horizontal bottom plate 34 that lies loosely in a movable plate-holder 35. This latter is pivotally mounted at 36 on an arm 37, in turn pivoted at 38 to the depending brackets 39 on the main frame-members 5. The arm 37 is caused to swing a )proximately 90 de rees on the shaft 38 the action of fiui pressure in a motor cy inder t0 beneath {1.1M secured to the main frame, said fluid ressure acting through iston 41 in said cy inder, piston-rod 42, an ,a longitudinally adjustable pitman -43 pivoted at 4 1 to a de ending extension 37 of the arm 37. The uid pressure c linders 27 and 10 are (provided with suitabl ilu pressure supply and exhaust pipes, indicated at 27 and 40, respectively, adapted to admit the fluid pressure alternately to opposite sides of the pistons of said cylinders at the proper intervals in the operation of the machine, said controlling devices being old and well known, and constituting no part of the present invention.

lathe operation of the machine, the compressing mold-members 17 are adjusted to the position shown in l i l. The bottom of the mold is then closeel'by admitting fluid pressure to the right hand end of motor cyline valve-controlled.

der 40, which causes the bottom plate 34 to form a closed joint at the bottom end of the vertical moldemembers, this operation producing a slight lifting of the integral mold walls 17 and 17, thus insuring a tight joint between the bottom plate and all four sides of the mold. The outer lateral mold walls 17 a are then crowded inwardly of the mold by applying fluid pressure to the right-hand end of the cylinder 27, which, through the connections described, forces the shoes 24 forwardly over the inclined faces of the wedges 25, and thus roduces tight vertical joints at the diagona ly opposite corners of the mold-chambers. Molten metal is then poured into the mold-chambers by hand or by a suitable pouring ladle until the molds are full to within two or three inches of their to s. Fluid pressure is then applied to the b linder chambers 9 through the supplypipes 11, causing a longitudinal movement of the plungers,.cross-head, and compressing mold-members 17 toward the forward or mold end of themachine, and lessening the cross-sectional area and volume of the mold chambers. This, of course, moves the outer lateral mold walls 17 in an ed ewise direction, but the pressure in the cy 'nder 27 being maintained during this period, the shoes 24 follow the retracting wedges 25 and thus maintain thepressure upon the walls 17 a while the compressing of the ingot is going on.

The operator carefully Watches the ex posed top ends of the ingots under treatment and, through the hand valve 13 or other pressure-regulating means, graduates the fluid pressure acting on the plunger so as to effect a sufiicient contraction of the crosssection or the ingots during their change from 'the molten to the solid state, so as to cause the gradually decreasing portion oi molten metal to remain always ap roximately even and of uniform height wit the'solidifying sides of the ingots. As soon as the top ends of the ingots appear solid, the pressure is in creased somewhat more rapidly, causing a slight forging or kneading action to take place throughout the mass of the ingots, and this pressure is maintained until the metal has attained a stable stateol crystallization. The desired compression of the ingots having been thus eilected, the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to the motor cylinders 27 and 40 is reversed, thus dropping the bottom plate as, retracting the shoes 24, and releasing the pressure upon the outer lateral mold walls 57*, and an instant later retracting the cross-head 18 through engagement of the inher ends of the shoes 24 with the vertical ribs 18 of the cross-head, which, through the arms. 19, simultaneously retracts the com pressive mold-members 17. This entirely "frees the compressed ingots and leaves them free to drop through and out of the bottoms of the mold-chambers into the space beneath the machine. or into, any suitable receptacles therefor. The molds are then again adjusted and prepared for subsequent operations, as above described.

in practice several ofthese machines may be provided, placed side by side alongside of a melting furnace, or between two furnaces, or otherwise, as may be most convenient in each instance, with their mold ends all in the same relative positions, and the pouring of the molten metal into the molds is best accomplished by means of a pouring ladle in a manner at present well understood and extensively practiced in ronnection with the production of crucible steel.

I claim:

1. In an ingot-casting machine, a mold of substantially rectangular cross-section composed of astationary mold-member forming two integral adjacent sides of the mold, and a movable mold-member forming the other two integral adjacent sides of the mold, in combination with means for ap lying pressure to one wall of said movalile member whereby to compress the ingot during cooling thereof, and means for simultaneously maintaining pressure upon the other wall of said movable mold-member whereby to maintain tight joints between the fixed and movable mold-members during the compression of the ingot, substantially'as described.

2. In an ingot-casting machine, the combination with a frame comprising rigidly connected side and end members, of a mold mounted in one end of said frame and comprising fixed and movable members, a cylinder and plunger therein mounted in the other end of said frame, a cross-head slidably mounted in said frame between said plunger and movable mold-member, and connections between said cross-head and movable moldmember comprising arms pivoted to the upper and lower sides of said cross-head and prczjecting over the upper and lower ends of sai mold-member, said arms having inwardly projecting pins loosely engaging sockets formed in saidmold-member, substantially as described.

8. In an ingot-casting machine, the combination with a containing frame, of a mold mounted in one end'of said frame comprising fixed and movable members each containing two adjacent integral side walls of a rectangular mold, a cylinder and plunger therein in the other end of said frame, a cross-head slidably mounted in said frame between said plunger and movable mold-member, connections between said cross-head and one wall of said movable mold-member pcrmittipg a limited extent of both vertical and lateral movement of the latter, and means for applying pressure to the other wall of said movable mold-member to effect tight joints between the latter and the fixed mold-member, substantially as described.

frame and a member movable toward and from said stationary member, means for holding said stations moldmember in place, means contains? within said frame for applying pressure to said movable moldmember, and means for retracting said movable member'after compression of the ingot to release the latter, substantially as de-- scribed.

5. A mold frame comprising oneiece side and end castings rigidly united, sai side and end castings, respectively, having overlapze ping lateral projections engaging each other 'end castings having a eaenee in a maer to resist longitudinal strain upon the frame, in combination with a mold in said frame and mea for applying pressure thereto.

it 6. A mold frame comprising one-piece side and end castings rigidly united, one of said ower cylinder cast therein, an said side an end castings, respectively, having overla ping lateral projections engaging each ot er in a manner to resist longitudinal strain uon the frame, in combination with a moldaving a movable side member, a plunger in said cylinder, and power-transmitting connections between said said plunger and movable mold-member.-

LESLIE E. HOWARD.

W itnesses;

WALTER l). Fnnuon, I. 8. Donna. 

